Portable shoe polishing fixture



Feb. 11, 1964-` R. F. sKARNEs 3,120,667

PORTABLE SHOE POLISHING FIXTURE Filed NOV. 50. 1960 FIG. 3

2 Sheets-Sheet l du l! INVENTOR. REI/ /N/'J/(ARA/fs ATTORNEYJ R. F.SKARNES PORTABLE SHOE POLISHING FIXTURE Feb. 11, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed NOV. 30,- 1960 FIG. 6

United States Patent O 3,120,667 PORTABLE SHOE POLISHING FIXTURE ReubinF. Skames, 3336 N. Bay Lane, Minneapolis, Minn. Filed Nov. 30, 1960,Ser. No. 72,792 2 Claims. (Cl. 12-53.6)

This invention relates to a new and improved shoe polishing fixturehaving means for firmly supporting a shoe therein to facilitate theoperation of cleaning and polishing the shoe.

It is Well known that many individuals have in recent years taken tocleaning and polishing their own shoes, largely because of the currenthigh cost of shoe shining service. Such do-it-yourself shoe shining hasnot been very popular in the past Abecause of the lack of adequate meansfor supporting the shoe in a convenient position during the cleaning andpolishing operation. Such a fixture to be practical, should be sodesigned and constructed that a shoe may readily and quickly be securedtherein in a position convenient to the individuals hands, and wherebythe means for securing the shoe in position does not overlay and concealany portion of the surface of the shoe to be polished, including theexposed edge of the shoe sole.

An important object of the present invention therefore is to provide animproved portable shoe polishing fixture which may readily be movedabout from place to place and which has means for firmly securing a shoetherein in a position convenient to the individual while cleaning andshining the shoe.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shoe polishing fixtureprovided at one end with means for firmly supporting a shoe thereon, andhaving its opposite end adapted to be placed on a chair whereby theindividual may sit on said end to support the fixture in position duringthe cleaning and polishing operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shoe polishing fixturehaving one end adapted to be inserted into the toe portion of a shoe andhaving a member movably mounted thereon adapted to be inserted into theheel portion of the shoe and operable to secure the shoe in position onthe fixture.

further object is to provide a fixture of the class described comprisingan elongated body having one end fashioned to be received in the toeportion of a shoe and having a member insertable in the heel portion ofthe shoe and movable relative to said toe portion, thereby to secure theshoe in position on the fixture and whereby the entire outer surface ofthe shoe including the edge of the sole and the heel are exposed forconvenient cleaning and polishing of the shoe.

Other objects of the invention reside in the specific construction ofthe toe engaging portion of the fixture whereby the wall of the toeportion of the shoe can be stretched sufficiently to remove all wrinklesand folds therefrom to facilitate polishing; in the provision of a shoepolishing fixture having means for securing a shoe to one end thereof,the opposite end of the fixture being relatively wide and thin, wherebyit may be placed upon the seat of a chai-r to permit an individual toplace his weight thereon to support the fixture in position in front ofhim while working on the shoe; and in the provision of a shoe polishingfixture which is extremely simple and inexpensive in construction.

These and other objects of the invention and the means for theirattainment will be more apparent from the following description taken inconnection wtih the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings there has been disclosed 3,120,667 PatentedFeb. 11, 1964 "ice a structure designed to carry out the various objectsof the invention, but it is to be understood that the invention 1s notconfined to the exact features shown, as vanous changes may be madewithin the scope of the claims which follow.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of my improved shoe polishing fixtureshowing a shoe secured to the forward end thereon;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the fixture shown in FIG- URE l, with theshoe removed therefrom;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing a slightlymodified construction;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary View showing the toe p0rtion of the fixtureshown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevation of the fixture shown in FIGURE 3, with itsrear end portion positioned on a chair, and showing an individualsitting thereon to support the fixture in an operative position in frontof the individual;

IFIGURE 7 is a plan view of FIGURE 6 showing the shoe convenientlypositioned in front of the individual and the fixture firmly held inposition by the weight of the individual on the rear end portionthereof; and

FIGURE 8 is a plan view of the fixture shown in FIG- URES 6 and 7, withthe shoe detached therefrom.

The novel fixture herein disclosed is shown comprising an elongatedbody, generally designated by the numeral 2, comprising a toe-engagingportion 3 and a rear portion 4, which is preferably made relatively Wideto facilitate supporting the fixture when in use, as shown in FIGURE 6.The rear end portion 4 is also quite thin as shown in FIGURE l, wherebyan individual may sit on the portion 4, when placed on a chair, as shownin FIGURE 6r.

The front end portion 3 of the fixture is preferably fashioned tosubstantially fit the interior of the toe portion of the shoe, in amanner similar to a conventional shoe tree so that when inserted intothe toe of a shoe, any wrinkles or folds present in the wall of the shoeare removed, thereby to present a relatively smooth outer surface tofacilitate cleaning and polishing the toe portion of the shoe.

A heel-engaging member 5 is secured to one end of a bolt or threadedstem 6, preferably having its lower end fixed to the member 5 to preventrelative turning of rod or bolt 6 as will be understood. The bolt or rod6 extends upwardly through an elongated opening or slot 7 provided inthe body 2 of the fixture, and has its upper end portion threaded, asshown at S.

A suitable finger grip or knob 9 is received in threaded engagement withthe threaded terminal of stem 6 for securing the heel-engaging member 5in adjusted position. lMember 5 is longitudinally adjustable on the body2 by means of slot 7, as will be understood by reference to thedrawings.

In the form shown in FIGURES l and 2, the central portion of the body 2has a flattened surface, as indicated at 10 `in FIGURE 2 to provide aflat seat for knob 9, when manipulated to secure the heel-engagingmember 5 in adjusted position relative to the toe-engaging portion 3. Toprevent the heel member 5 from relatively rotating when knob 9 istightened, member 5 may be provided with upstanding means such as pins 5which extend into slot 7 whereby member 5 cannot rotate.

In the form shown in FIGURES 3 to 8, inclusive, a clamping element .1-1is shown seated on the body 2, and has a concave bottom surface to fitthe cylindrical contour of body 2. The heel-engaging mem-ber 5 hereshown also has a concave upper surface, as best shown in FIG- URE 4.

To use the fixture the individual seats himself on a chair 13, asindicated in FIGURE 6, and then inserts the flattened rear end portion 4of the fixture between his body and the seat of the chair, as clearlyillustrated in FIGURES 6 and 7. When the fixture is so positioned theweight of the individuals ybody on the rear flattened end portion of thefixture will securely support it in the position shown in FIGURES 6 and7, and the shoe will be conveniently supported directly in front of theindividual whereby he may readily manipulate a brush or a polishingcloth in the operating of polishing the shoe. The fixture is of lightweight, whereby the individual may, if he so desires, support thefixture with a shoe thereon with one hand while manipulating a brushwith his other hand.

To remove a shoe from the fixture it is only necessary to slightlyrotate the linger knob 9 on the threaded stem 6, whereby theheel-engaging member 5 may readily be moved forwardly to the dotted lineposition shown in FIGURE 3 to release the shoe from the fixture, as willbe understood.

The elongated slot 7 provides means whereby the fixture may supportshoes of different sizes. The forward or toe-engagin g end of theenlongated body 2 is shaped to conform somewhat to the interior of thetoe of the shoe whereas the form shown in FIGURES 3 to 8, inclusive, aseparate toe-engaging member 14 is utilized which may be secured to theforward end of the elongated body 2 by such means as screws 15.

The novel shoe polishing fixture herein disclosed has been foundextremely practical and efficient in actual use. It is particularlyapplicable for low shoes. It construction is such that a low shoe mayquickly be secured thereto by manipulation of the hand knob 9, and mayas readily be detached therefrom. It will also be noted that the meansfor securing the shoe to the fixture does not cover or conceal anyportion of the outer surface of the shoe which may require periodicpolishing whereby a complete polishing job may be completed with but asingle setting of the shoe. The elongated body `Zr may be made of woodor plastic material.

It is apparent that many modifications and variations of the inventionas hereinbefore set forth may be made without departing from the spiritand scope thereof. The specific embodiments described are given by wayof example only and the invention is limited only by the terms of theappended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a shoe polishing fixture, an elongated body having a raisedtoe-engaging portion at one end adapted to be inserted into the toe of ashoe; a heel-engaging member mounted for longitudinal adjustment on saidelongated body and cooperating with -the toe-engaging portion to securea shoe in position on said fixture, said heel-engaging member havingyone end of an elongated stem secured thereto, the opposite end of saidstem having a finger knob received in threaded engagement therewith forsecuring the heel-engaging member in adjusted position on said elongatedbody, and means for supporting the fixture in operative positionconvenient to a user including a rearwardly extending paddle-like endportion being adapted to permit the user to be seated thereon whenplaced on a chair.

2. In a shoe polishing fixture, an elongated body having a raisedforward end portion shaped to be received in the toe portion of a shoe,means for engaging the heel of the shoe and cooperating with said ytoeportion to detachably secure a shoe to the fixture, the rear end portionof said elongated body being paddle-like in configuration to permit anindividual to be seated on said paddlelike end portion when placed on achair, thereby to support the fixture on the chair, whereby a shoesecured to the fixture is conveniently located in front of theindividual and slightly elevated to facilitate polishing, theintermediate portion of said elongated body having a longitudinallyextending slot therein, an elongated stem traversing said slot andhaving said heel-engaging means secured to its lower end and extendingbelow said elongated body for insertion into the heel portion of a shoe,said stern being longitudinally adjustable in said slot to axially shiftthe position of the heel-engaging means on said elongated lbody, andmeans at the upper end of said stem for securing the heel-engaging meansin adjusted position on said body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS431,036 Dawson July 1, 1890 675,274 Gardner May 28, 1901 2,457,445 ClairDec. 28, 1948 2,476,462 Smith July 19, 1949 2,883,097 Scardarnalia etal. Apr. 21, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 854,525 France Ian. 19, 1940 1,120,100France Apr. 16, 1956

1. IN A SHOE POLISHING FIXTURE, AN ELONGATED BODY HAVING A RAISEDTOE-ENGAGING PORTION AT ONE END ADAPTED TO BE INSERTED INTO THE TOE OF ASHOE; A HEEL-ENGAGING MEMBER MOUNTED FOR LONGITUDINAL ADJUSTMENT ON SAIDELONGATED BODY AND COOPERATING WITH THE TOE-ENGAGING PORTION TO SECURE ASHOE IN POSITION ON SAID FIXTURE, SAID HEEL-ENGAGING MEMBER HAVING ONEEND OF AN ELONGATED STEM SECURED THERETO, THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID STEMHAVING A FINGER KNOB